At least tell me why
by Vakaria
Summary: Bruce overhears Clint and Tony talking and thinks Clint's gonna leave him.


Bruce is on his way to the range to pay Clint a surprise visit when he overhears his boyfriend talking with Tony. At first he wants to enter the room and join the conversation, but then he hears what they are talking about and his chest tightens.

"Oh come on, Legolas. We both know this thing is holding you back!"

"That's not... I don't think.."

They can't be talking about him and Clint, could they?

"You know you could do much better."

"But I lov... I'm rather attached to him."

Bruce nearly chokes on his breath. This... thing between them has been going on for about 4 months now and none of them has said the words until now. He really wants to just barge in and hug and kiss Clint and tell him he loves him back, but then Tony starts speaking again.

"Come on. The man who can make all your wishes and dreams come true is standing right here. Just give me a chance and you'll never even think back to this... piece of junk..."

His heart clenches when he hears that. He thought of Tony as a friend, why would he... Bruce waits for Clint to answer. To say No and walk away.

"Okay. But don't make me regret this decision, Stark."

He doesn't hear anything more, except the pounding of his blood in his ears when he rushes back to his room. He has to get away from here.

Ten minutes later he has clothes, his notes and some other useful stuff in his backpack and contemplates if he should take the photo with him.

It had been taken after their first date. Bruce was wearing Clint's Hoodie (it was purple like almost half of the clothing the archer owned – the other half was black) and the other man had his arm around his shoulders and smiled affectionately at him instead of looking at the camera.

Bruce remembers that day. Clint had told him he had liked him for some time and asked if he wanted to get coffee. At first he had thought it was some kind of cruel joke – he wasn't the kind of person people fell in love with – because the archer somehow noticed he had a crush on him. But something he saw in the archer's eye – he couldn't pinpoint it – convinced him he was serious and he agreed. And it had been perfect. They had talked for hours before walking back to the tower. It had gotten cold and Clint gave him his hoodie when he noticed his shivering.

Bruce feels tears pricking in his eyes and throws the picture frame in the vague direction of the desk but there's no sound of it hitting the ground or the table.

When he looks up he sees Clint standing in the room, his face an emotionless mask. The picture in his hand.

"You're leaving." It's no question.

"Yes, I am." He was hoping he could avoid this conversation. The whole "It's not you, it's me."-talk. He doesn't want to hear all the reasons why Tony will now be the one to kiss the man Bruce loves.

He wants to just leave. Push past the man standing in the room, but Clint is blocking the door.

"I won't keep you where you don't want to be. Just tell me why. At least tell me how I screwed up this time. " Bruce wonders how he manages to sound so utterly broken after the conversation he overheard earlier. But then he remembers Clint is a spy. He's most likely a good actor.

He takes a few calming breaths before he snaps at the other man.

"Don't give me this shit! I've overheard you and Tony not even half an hour ago. Don't act like I've done your heart some irreparable harm, when you already found a replacement for me!"

Clint reaches out to him, be he jerks away from his hand and takes more deep breaths to calm himself down.

"I mean, I get it! I've already wondered why you put up with me so long! You're gorgeous, you've got a great sense of humor and you're much smarter than you give yourself credit for. You've tons of alternatives and I should have known this wouldn't last long and that you'd finde someone normal. Someone who's not a monster!"

He feels the tears falling, even if he tries his best to hold them back. He doesn't want to appear weak. Not now. Not in front of Clint.

"You see, I understand. I can't compete with Tony and no sane men would ever prefer me to him! But please just spare me the pity and the whole "It's not you, it's me" business. Just let me go through this door and you won't ever have to see me again."

Now the tears are flowing freely and he wipes them away. He can't bear to look at Clint's face, so he stares at the floor. But he can see that the archer hasn't moved an inch.

"Jarvis, can you replay the conversation me and Tony had earlier?"

"Surely, Master Barton."

Bruce never took Clint as cruel, but apparently he was wrong. He can feel his heart shattering when he has to listen to it again.

"Okay. But don't make me regret this decision, Stark. But I swear, if you break this bow, I'll find you wherever you are hiding and what follows won't be nice!"

"Don't worry Birdbrain, you'll get it back in one piece. Just a bit enhanced."

He lets his backpack fall to the ground in shock. They were talking about the bow. Not about them. He should have trusted Clint. Shouldn't have assumed things. Should have talked to Clint instead of just trying to run away.

He screwed it up. He screwed everything up. The prove he didn't need the other guy to break things.

Bruce expects Clint to be gone by now, after he has proven he hasn't done any of the things Bruce accused him of doing.

But when he looks up, Clint is still standing there, clutching the picture frame with one hand and a pained look on his face.

He steps closer and gently wipes away the tears from Bruce's face with his thumb, before he pulls him into a hug. Bruce buries his face in Clint's neck and whispers: "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." over and over again until Clint presses a kiss to the top of his head and whispers back: "No, I'm sorry."

Bruce pulls back and stares at the other man disbelieving. Why should Clint be sorry? Is he mocking him? He can't be, can he?

But Clint doesn't let him start talking. He just looks Bruce deep in the eyes and says: "I'm sorry. For not showing you how much you mean to me. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. I won't ever leave you, unless you want me to. I still don't know why you could want me, but -" He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before he continues and he seems to be choking at his words. When he opens them again, his blue eyes are boring into Bruce's brown ones. "I love you."

Bruce is still staring at him open-mouthed but he manages to get his brain running and manages to get out an "I love you too." before he pulls Clint into a kiss.

Clint smiles against his lips and whispers: "Don't do that to me again. Don't try to leave without a word. Please."

"I promise."


End file.
